From Bill Fawcett's book:

CHARLES FREDERICK GAUSS was born on May 30, 1838 in St. Charles, Missouri to Charles W. Gauss and Louisa Aletta Fallenstein. A letter was sent to Karl Gauss in Germany about his birth. Charles was educated at public and private schools in Sharron County, Brunswick and Glasgow, and also St. Louis. He was raised on his father's farm.

At age 17 (1855) Charles came to St. Louis and completed a course at Jones' Commercial College. He worked as an office/ errand/stock boy for a wholesale dry goods store (Crow, McCreery & Company; 1855). In fall 1856 he became a shipping clerk in his father's shoe store: Fallenstein & Gauss. He then became a traveling salesman (1858-59) for Beardslee Bothers.

In 1860 Charles F. Gauss joined Krause and Hunicke/Hurricke to create the firm with which he was long associated. His father provided some of the capital. Mr. Krauss was already experienced in the hat business. Gauss purchased Krauss's interest (when his health failed) in 1863 and the firm became Gauss, Hunicke & Company (1863-86), and then Gauss-Hunicke Hat Company (Columbia Statesman 5/20/1870:1/8). Gauss-Hunicke Hat Company organized in 1881. Gauss Boot & Shoe Store Company was involved in a Circuit Court case (Columbia Statesman 4/18/1884 2/5). The Company and M.S. Bush entered a plea in their case against Elisha Sexton in the Boone County Circuit Court in mid-April 1885 (Columbia Missouri Statesman 4/17/1885 3/7). When Hunicke retired/died, and after Theodore Shelton joined the firm, it was renamed Gauss-Shelton Hat Company (1886- ), with Gauss as President, Shelton as V.P., and Frederick J. Langerberg, Secretary; and with a capitol of $250,000. In 1889 the company moved to a new location at 810-812 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, a 50 x 150' 7 story building, extending from Birch to St. Charles Streets, with a basement. Their hats were sold over a 15 state area of the south, southwest, west and northwest U.S. Five salesmen operated from the Sales Branch at Kansas City. The St. Louis business involved 75 clerks/salesmen and three traveling salesmen. Their annual sales exceeded $1,000,000 (Pen & Sunlight 1892). The firm was also known as Gauss-Langenberg Hat Company--wholesaler of hats, caps, gloves and umbrellas (ca. 1910s).

Charles F. Gauss served as a director for the old Continental Bank and later as Vice-President for the National Bank of the Republic. He was a founder and second Vice President of the Union (Mercantile) Trust Co. until 1894. After the death of his son-in-law, Charles W. Bullen, he acted as President during the liquidation of the National Bank of the Republic by the Merchants-Laclede National Bank, for which he became a director. He also served on the boards of the American Central Insurance Company. Charles F. Gauss was a member of Company A, 1st Regiment, Missouri National Guard; and enjoyed playing golf. He was a member of the Noonday Club, St. Louis; Church of the Messiah, St. Louis Club, Mercantile Club, St. Louis Country Club, and the Masonic (Blue) Lodge. He was a Democrat until switching to the Republicans in 1893; and a Mason.

On May 14, 1878 Charles F. Gauss married (2), Miss Ada/Ida H. Smith, of St. Louis County. No children were born to them. During the 1910s his office was 12th and St. Charles Streets in St. Louis, and he resided at 17 Washington Terrace. By early 1920s his business address was 824 Washington Ave and his residence at 3661 Washington Av., St. Louis (Cox n.d.:185-186; Isaac 1938:146; Van Nada 1906:138; St. Louis 1912). Charles F. Gauss died on December 2, 1913 in St. Louis, Missouri (Gauss 1982; Stephens 1921:769-770).

Biography

Charles Frederick Gauss was born to Charles W. Gauss and Louisa Fallenstein Gauss in 1838 in Chariton County, Missouri. He married Mary Lamereaux on (date) who was the mother of his children. After her death, he married Ida Helene Smith.